weird cory dance

[Briarmoor]

I have 3 bronze corys in the 20g. I noticed 2 of them vertical (head up and tail toward bottom like they were standing up) in the water with their mouths together and bellies almost touching. They'd wriggle like this a few times, then go off and do their endless bottom cleaning. What is up with that?

Also, kinda cute. I saw all three of them on the plastic log stump, all facing the back of the tank, just lying there with the middle one out in front and the other 2 slightly behind it on either side. It was like a fighter plane formation under water!

They seem happy despite the gold gourami chasing them at feeding time. I strategically place plants so she can't catch up with them very well. She is getting too big to be as agile as they are zipping in and out of decorations and plants. At least there are 3 of them to spread out the chasing.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Briarmoor

Corys are social fish and their antics are lots of fun to watch. That's one of the reasons they are so popular.

Another reason defenseless fish like corys like to be in schools is for the reason you describe: there is safety in numbers. But there will come a time when you will have to do something about your aggressive gourami, for their sakes. Being chased by another fish will cause them stress that could be harmful to their health in the long run.

Besides, when you re-home the gourami, there will be room for more of those cute little corys!

 

[Briarmoor]

Hi Briarmoor

But there will come a time when you will have to do something about your aggressive gourami, for their sakes. Being chased by another fish will cause them stress that could be harmful to their health in the long run.

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I think the chasing is as bad on the Gold as it is on the corys, she has run into the glass a few times, but I have yet to see her catch up to a cory. Stupid gourami! and she only does it at feeding time. Other times they can bump into her swimming around and she doesn't care at all.

I am waiting on the opaline in the 55g to grow enough to fend for itself with the Gold in there. Gouramis are so cool, but I get tired of their aggression. Kind of like my cattle dogs. <g>

Do you know what that little mouth to mouth thing is all about with the corys? It's like they are dancing upright on their tails.

Right now, a smaller darker colored cory is swimming next to the bigger paler cory with its head pushed up against the other one's. This is new behavior as they mostly used to just swim together without so much touching. There are 2 larger paler corys and one smaller and darker one. Is this a gender thing or just growth related, getting lighter as the grow?

 

[J_acon]

What are you actually feeding them?

My Gouramis never done something like that. I give them flakes so they all go up to the top. I leave the cory's to scavange for food But from time to time i drop a few sinking tablets when i am feeding the others.

 

[dwarfgourami]

The two larger ones are likely to be females and the smaller one a male. They do swim sucking at each others' side during spawning, so it could be that they are getting ready to have a sex life.

Mine start off swimming all round the tank, generally nuzzling each other all over, often with the male taking the iniative, then the male stays still in the water while the female sucks energetically at his side. After that she produces a small clutch of eggs which she carries in a pouch made up of her ventral fins while she swims around looking for somewhere to lay them. Then she rubs them off against a plant. Then the silly thing turns round and eats them...

 

[Briarmoor]

What are you actually feeding them?

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They get a variety of foods. I give flakes, pellets, thawed frozen (bloodworms, krill, etd) and peas or squash sometimes. Once the main eating is over is when the gourami goes into overdrive worrying about the corys getting something that is "hers" as she competes scouring the bottom. She can also be a witch over their algae tabs so I drop those in 4 pieces so she can't be everywhere at once and I also turn the light out.

Right now they are swimming all over cleaning and she is resting above the stump decoration and everything is peaceful. Will stay that way until morning feed.

I don't have to worry about the corys spawn hatching in a community tank do I? I thought the pH would have to be lower or the water temp different or something. I guess I didn't think they'd be like guppies and make babies real easy. I hope not, I really don't want fry.

 

[jollysue]

Hi, Briarmoor,

Don't want to be a cory mama, huh? Well my guess is that the gourami and neons will dine on cory eggs before they hatch.

You still have BP? Cool! Me, too, so far. I have treated my diamond head neons for culumnaris in their tank. One still shows symptoms, and they had the limit of that treatment. The tank is too big to catch fish in for me, so they are taking a break from treatment. Then I will see about doing a treatment from the LFS.